Like I said on DA, I've never liked Human Smoke much, I think the cyborg is way more interesting. But making his skin gray and eyes red here works pretty well for me because it reminds me of his Deception look and just having a different skin color at all gives him something unique and mysterious that he'd never have with a normal human fleshtone. It makes you wonder "Why is he gray? What's wrong with him?"

It's like this Smoke could just as easily be the MK2 version as it could be a post-Armageddon one, controlling his nanobots to try and look human again.

If this design were used in a game though, I'd just be a little concerned that the all-gray body might be too similar to Noob's all-black body. But maybe that's not such a big deal.
And yeah, a kusarigama instead of the spear isn't a new idea but it's still a really good one IMO and I'm planning on using it myself.
I do have a small complaint that nothing about the clothes says "Lin Kuei uniform". It's a very generic shinobi look.

I don't much like this one, as far as design goes, I instantly got a Noob Saibot feeling, before reading the description.

The mask is a too reminiscent of Scorpion to me, and I'm not much for his red eyes. The weapon doesn't seem to suit Smoke either. Just my opinion though.

Nice traditional martial arts look. Maybe MK1/II Smoke. His Shaolin Monks version was very cool, the smoke just ooozing out of him!

I gotta start working on my MKII Smoke w kusarigama sprites. -_-*


I suppose he'd be a wind element character with the kusarigama. Reminiscent of the Japanese Kaimatachi weasel (Wind sickle weasel). VVicked deadly stealth assassin.



Ka-Tra

This is a very common concept, and I don't really understand it.
The male ninja didn't have weapons in the pre-MK4 games,
other than Scorpion's Spear, and the axe they use in combos.

It's the "ninjettes" who all have a weapon,
and by that logic, I *really* wanted to see Skarlet with the Kusarigama.
I think it's a lot more appropriate for her than Smoke,
*especially* if she ends up being Scorpion's wife

Anyway, great work as always, Jax!
I just wish Skarlet were the one to wield that weapon.

The Kusarigama is a weapon that can be thrown at and "catch" onto people the way a spear can. It's a way to reference the fact that Smoke used to have the spear move, without him ever copying the spear move again.

And I really hope Skarlett has nothing to do with Scorpion story-wise, least of all being his wife. The bitch is clearly red haired and round-eyed, not Japanese, and I feel any members of the Shirai Ryu still being alive during this part of the timeline would detract from Scorp's story, the same way I feel Chameleon and Khameleon have always hurt Reptile's appeal as "the last of his kind".

But is that no different from CyberSmoke's Trident?
People seem to rip on that a lot as being too similar to the spear,
yet it's a different weapon.

I can understand the logic, but I'd still rather see it on Skarlet.
I wanted that before I joined this forum, and I'm sad they gave her something so bland as Kunai for a weapon (even though I *love* Ibuki). I was hoping she would hook them with the sickle and then yank herself towards them, kicking them in the chest-
kinda like the opposite of what Scorpion does.

And I don't really want Skarlet to be his wife (though I could *totally* see them doing that)- I just wanted her to wield the Kusarigama.

Oh well... too bad for me. Too bad for anyone who wanted a Kusarigama in MK9
EDIT: I would also accept Skarlet with a whip.
Chicks with whips rule, even when they're Catwoman
It would have a lot of gameplay potential, and it fits her "sexy" vibe.

I've got completely seperate ideas for Skarlett, personally, but it's probably not appropriate to talk about in someone else's thread. I just don't at all think a hook-and-chain weapon fits any character who doesn't already have a reputation of fighting like Scorpion.

EDIT: weird delayed double post

I am re working all the male ninjas changing some of the details I don't like from this series, they are looking much cooler!

I love your work! This is a nice design for smoke. The kasurigama is a nice touch.